|d$ Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



water from which the pieces were taken separately to be thoroughly 

 rubbed with the prepared potatoes, as is usual with soap ; thus 

 prepared, and after having been well rubbed, rolled and wrung, it 

 was a second time put into the copper with a quantity of the pre- 

 pared potatoes, and after boiling for half an hour was taken out, 

 turned, thoroughly rubbed, wrung, and again thrown in for some 

 minutes ; it was then well rinced twice in a large quantity of 

 water, was put into cold water for half an hour, afterwards into a 

 press to drain, and then hungup to dry. The whole time occupied 

 was about two hours and a half; the linen was perfectly clean, 

 free from all grease, and looked very white. 



8. Preservation of Grain.-^^M. le Comte Dejean, concluding 

 that an essential condition for the preservation of grain in quan- 

 tities, was to prevent air and moisture from having access, has 

 made some experiments, with this object in view, and with the 

 best results. In 1819, he constructed wooden cases, lined with 

 lead, and which, when filled with grain, properly dried, were closed 

 hermetically. At the end of three years, the cases were opened, 

 and the grain found in the most perfect state. M. Sainte Fare 

 Bontemps, who directed the experiments, reported on them, in 

 March 1824; and from his calculations, it appears that the ex- 

 pense of a leaden lining to a case capable of holding 1,250 hecto- 

 litres, (about 33,000 wine gallons,) would be, at most, 4,500 

 francs, and that of a case to contain 10,000 hectolitres, (264,190 

 wine gallons,) about 18,000 francs. As the grain sutlers no loss 

 whilst in the case, and requires no laborious attention, the interest 

 of the capital required would be amply compensated by the ad- 

 vantages of the process. We do not doubt but that, in many cir- 

 cumstances, these cases lined with lead, will be found preferable to 

 magazines constructed in the earth ; the preservation of the grain 

 will assuredly be more certain. M. Dejean's magazines appear, 

 therefore, to be a very important acquisition to agriculture. — Ann. 

 de Chim. .\xvi. 109. 



9. Adulteration of Tea — Mr. Sowcrby has remarked a curious 

 instance of Chinese adulteration in black tea, consisting in the addi- 

 tion of sandy matter to it, containing minute crystals of magnetic 

 iron. These were sometimes so abundant, as to enable a masinet 

 to lift parts of the leaves. The sand was often observed deposited 

 in tea-cups and tea-pots, and on macerating some closely-twisted 

 portions of tea, considerable quantities were separated, that 

 had been introduced when the leaves were fresh. — Phd. Mag. 

 Ixiv. 151. 



10. Peculiar Fracture of Quartz. — Dr. Brewster lately had oc- 

 casion to examine a fractured specimen of quartz, in which the 

 two new surfaces were of such a nature as to be incapable of re- 



